From RE0, Sato Kazuma decided to cheat on food and drink

Upon hearing Jus's words, Emilia's lips twitched slightly—

However, it quickly turned into a polite smile.

"I'm very sorry, I don't think I've ever heard of this name before."

?

Jus was frozen in place, as if petrified.

He desperately hoped that Emilia in front of him was just playfully joking.

But Jus could tell that Emilia's expression was serious.

She was unaware of her own existence.

why?

Why does it become like this?

Has Emilia forgotten herself?

It shouldn't be like this....

and many more.....

A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to Jules.

"Emilia, do you still remember your aunt Fortuna?"

"Fortuna?"

Emilia's expression subtly changed the moment she uttered the name.

“I… Aunt… Fortuna… I… I… I’ve never heard of this name before… But why, why do I feel a sense of sadness?”

Two lines of tears streamed down Emilia's face; she herself had no idea what had happened.

It seems that something very important has been forgotten.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I lost my composure!"

Emilia quickly wiped away her tears and said to Jus,

"Many of my memories are gone, Lord Jules. You may have been a very important person to me, but I'm sorry... I can't remember anything about you now..."

"No, it's okay, it's not your fault."

Jus looked at Emilia with affection and simply smiled as he spoke.

Emilia forgot herself, and even forgot Fortuna.

Then there's only one possibility—

Emilia's memories have been tampered with.

"Useless goddess, why don't you go check on Emilia's situation?"

Kazuma Sato whispered to Aqua.

"Ah."

Aqua nodded, then slowly walked up to Emilia and gently touched her hand.

"Lady Aqua!"

Jus looked at Aqua with a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Aqua regained her memories after losing them.

Perhaps Aqua will also be able to recover Emilia's memories.

"Ugh?"

However, Aqua frowned slightly, glanced at Emilia who looked confused, and then looked down at the crystal necklace Emilia was wearing around her neck.

"What happened?"

"I asked, Kazuma Sato."

"How strange, Emilia's memories seem to be sealed in two layers."

Two floors?

“That’s right. Emilia’s first layer of memory seal is something like a curse, similar to Jus’s. However, this seal has already loosened and can be easily removed. But this second layer of seal is a bit special. It doesn’t seem like a curse, but more like a contract.”

"contract?"

A series of events left Kazuma Sato somewhat puzzled.

“That’s right, just like the contract between you and Betty, it’s not impossible for me to forcibly break this seal, but I don’t know if it will break the contract.”

Aqua said.

What are the consequences of breaking the contract?

Just as Kazuma Sato asked his question, Beatrice, who was standing next to him, spoke up to explain:

"The contract binds the souls of both parties, and the specific cost varies depending on the content of the contract. However, in any case, forcibly breaking or dissolving the contract will have very serious consequences."

"That's terrifying, Emilia. Do you remember who you made a contract with?"

"I....."

Emilia lowered her head and clutched the crystal necklace around her neck tightly.

This is precisely the medium through which she entered into a contract with Parker.

"It's Parker."

"Parker? Did Parker do this? But Parker and Emilia, aren't you usually very close? Do you even remember the terms of the contract?"

"I remember... but it shouldn't be anything very important, like not being picky about food or exercising every day..."

"'Forgetting the contents of the contract' could very well be part of the contract."

Beatrice said, her expression becoming somewhat complicated.

"But Parker is already resting at this time. Even if we were to ask, we'd have to wait until tomorrow..."

"In that case, let's rest tonight and leave everything for tomorrow."

Kazuma Sato said with a smile,

"Rem, could you please prepare a room for Jus as well?"

. . . . . .

late at night.

Kazuma Sato lay in bed, tossing and turning.

"You idiot, Kazuma, can't you sleep?"

Kazuma Sato turned to the side and saw Beatrice staring intently at him.

"Yeah, after all this series of inexplicable things, I feel like my brain isn't quite working properly."

Kazuma Sato sighed.

It was supposed to be a simple and straightforward task to deal with the Witch Cult, but somehow it turned out like this.

It's fair to say that the amount of information Sato Kazuma received last night was more than he received in a week.

This world is far more complex than I imagined.

It was something that originally had little to do with me.

If he could, Kazuma Sato would still prefer to be a rich man who does nothing.

"By the way, Betty, if you call Parker 'brother,' is he a big elf like you?"

“That’s right. Betty has known her brother for a long time, but he left later—until recently, when he came back with this little girl, Emilia.”

"This means that you have the same mother, right?"

Sato Kazuma seemed to have thought of something and asked.

"Ah."

"If that's the case, could your mother know something? And even though it's a pirated copy, the Witch Cult's gospel is probably still connected to your mother, isn't it?"

“My mother… passed away a long time ago. She was also known as a witch, called Echidna, the Witch of Greed.”

"Another witch, I suppose. Could she be one of those world-devouring types too..."

"No, the only one who did that was the Witch of Envy from beginning to end."

"I see. But that's strange. If it's Parker, why would he do that? He doesn't seem like a bad person. Was it to protect Emilia? Or was there some other reason?"

"Betty only knows that there is a contract between Parker and his mother, and perhaps it is related to this."

"Oh?"

"Betty doesn't know the specifics of the contract, but there might be something fishy about it, and perhaps there's a place where she can find the answer."

"where?"

"Sanctuary".

"Have not heard."

"This is a place unknown to most people, where Mother, Betty, and others used to live together. It's in the forest, but without special means, it's impossible to find that place."

"What a hassle! I hate troublesome things the most."

Kazuma Sato stretched and said to Beatrice.

"You keep saying you're afraid of trouble, but aren't you always the first to help others when they're in trouble?"

"Sigh, it's because of the pressures of life."

Kazuma Sato sighed somewhat helplessly.

"You go to sleep first, I'm going to the bathroom."

After speaking, Kazuma Sato yawned and left the room.

However, he hadn't walked far when he saw someone standing in front of the corridor, lost in thought.

"What are you doing here so late at night instead of sleeping, Jus! It's a good thing you switched bodies; if it were the previous one, I might have been scared to death on the spot!"

"I'm sorry... I can't sleep because I have some things on my mind."

Jus nodded slightly, expressing his apology to Kazuma Sato.

"Thank you, Lord Kazuma, for coming out to keep me company tonight..."

"I was just going to the restroom on my way!"

As Kazuma Sato spoke, he brushed past Jus.

Just then, Jus suddenly spoke up.

"Um, Lord Kazuma, I am willing to join your side."

"Huh? Aren't you going to stay with Emilia?"

"Emilia has grown up now and probably doesn't need me anymore. Besides, I can never forget the kindness you have shown me, Lady Aqua and Lord Kazuma. If it weren't for you, I might have done something unforgivable. Please forgive my selfishness, but I can promise that I will do anything as long as it doesn't harm Emilia."

Juss's gaze became incredibly firm, as if he had made up his mind.

"Furthermore, I must find Fortuna... She is incredibly important to me, and I must find her."

"Oh, in that case, good luck!"

Kazuma Sato patted Jus on the shoulder and gave a very simple reply.

"That application form—"

"Don't give it to me! Give it to Aqua!"

"Okay, okay, thank you for saving my life, and thank you for your trust in me!"

After parting ways with Jus, Kazuma Sato continued walking forward:

"Sigh, having such a big mansion isn't a good thing either. Even going to the restroom requires such a long walk... And there's someone up ahead... Could it be... I knew it..."

Rem appeared before Kazuma Sato.